Means for extracting precious metals



No. 6||,5|5. Patented sept. 27, |898.

J. P p-scHucH, 1n. MEANS FDR EXTBACTING PRECIOUS METALS.

- (Application med sept, 28, 1897.)

2 shuts-sheet l.

(No Model.)

195 Jliromqys,

THE Nonms PETERS co., PHoTLITHo.. wAsNxNmommc.

No.6||,5|5. Patented Sept. 27, |898.

J. P. ,SCHUCH, Jn.` MEANS FUR EXTRAGTING PRECIOUS METALS.

(Application md sept.28,1s97.) (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

v A.11TH

" Nrrnn' *STATES JOHN PHILIP SOHUOI-I, JR., OF CRIPPLE CREEK, COLORADO. y y

MEANS. FOR EXTRACTING PRECIOUS METALS.

SPECIFICATION forming part Yof Letters `Patent No. 611,515, dated September 27, 1898.

Application ledSeptemberZB, 18,97.' Serial No. 653,312. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Jennf PHrLIP SOHUCH, .I r., a citizen of the United States, residing at Cripple Creek, in the county of El Paso and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Means for Extracting Precious Metals andCyanid-Tank Therefor, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a dumping-tank for containing ore and a cyanid solution in the extraction of precious'metals from the ore; and the object that I have in view is to effect economy in the treatment of the ore by providing for the expeditious filling of the tank with ore and the solution, as well as to enable the solution to be drawn off and to expeditiously discharge the spent or treated ore from the tank.

In the treatment of ore by the cyanid-ofpotassium process it isthe common practice to employ stationary tanks of large capacity, into which the 'ore is deposited by manual labor, the solution then admitted, the tank then permitted to remain un molested for the time necessary for the solution to act on the ore, the solution then drawn oft through a drain-hole in the bottom of the tank, and the spent ore is removed by manual'labor. i Ordinary tanks to be sluiced with. plenty of water are constructed with a manhole to enable the laborers to gain access to the tank. This mode of charging and emptying tanks is laborious, timeconsuming; and expensive, because it involves in the case of a fifty-ton tank or a tank of larger capacity the services of two or more men for two or more days to charge and empty the tank. 1

It is my purpose to provide a plant ernbracing as one element thereof a dumpingtank, by which the charging and emptying of the tank can be `quickly performed, thus effectinga saving in the cost of the labor and` in the time required for charging and emptying the tank andenabling'the tank to be used oftener and to better advantage.

The first part of the invention consists inl the employment of a pivotally-mountedl tank arranged to receive a charge of ore and the extracting solution and to4 be dumped to empty the spent ore contained therein; said tank provided with a drain-pipe by which the solution bearing the precious metal may be drawnoff `preparatory to dumping the tank. l The invention furtherl consists -in the employment of a portable tank mounted on a wheeled truck or trucks and adapted to be moved to a position beneath a charging-chute or hopper 4to receive the ore therefrom and then receive the solution and allow it to stand the required length of time. Afterthis the solution is drawn off 4and the tank moved to the place of discharge, at which `point the tank is tilted in order todump the 'spent ore upon a discharge-chute or a tailings-conveyer.

The invention further consists in the provision of a cyanid and ore tank equipped with a filtering medium for retaining'the sand and other impurities when the solution is drained from the tank, in the provision of a novel closure forthe discharge `end of the tank to secure a water-tight `joint between said discharge' endjof the tank and the closure, in the provision ofl a hoisting'appliance for moving the tiltable tank in the operationof dumping and raising the same, and in the provision of spring-operated holders for sustaining the tank in its raised position` i To enable others to understand my invention, I have illustrated the preferred embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings,- forming a part of this specification, and in Which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of a plant contemplated by my invention and illustrating a tiltable tank in the operation of being charged, emptied, and as standing out of the way after said tank shall have been charged with ore and the cyanid' solution. Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the dumpingtanks. Fig. 3 is aside elevation of the dumprepresenting the position 'of the tank whenit is tilted in the operation of dumping the same. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view on the plane indicated by the dotted line 5i 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the plane indicated by the dotted line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is adetail perspective fragmentary View illustrating 'a part of the rear open end of the tank, the Water- `ing-tank shown by Fig. 2,L thedottedlines IOO tight packing, and a part of the closure for use in connection with the tank and said packing.

Like numerals of reference denote corresponding and like parts in each of the several gures of the drawings.

My improved dumping-tank is illustrated by Figs. 2 to G, inclusive, in which 1 designates the tank, 2 the wheeled truck upon which the tank is mounted, and 3 the pivotal shaft or axle between the truck and the tank for the purpose of permitting the tank to be tilted to an inclined position, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3 and by full lines at the righthand end of Fig. 1.

The tank 1 of my invention is designed to be constructed of iron, steel, or other metal, and it is of large capacity for holding a large quantity of ore and the proper volume of the cyanid solution necessary for the extraction of precious metals from the ore. This tank of large capacity may be constructed to have any desired shape, although I have shown the tank as of substantially rectangular form in the drawings. I would have it understood, however, that my invention'is not restricted to the particular shape nor to any size of the tank, because I am aware that tanks of different shapes and of varying sizes may be employed in the manner and for the purposes contemplated by my invention.

The metallic tank of large capacity is provided with a closed bottom and with a drainpipe 4. I prefer to make the bottom of the tank sloping or inclined toward this drainpipe to effect the thorough discharge of the cyanid solution from the tank and reduce waste of said solution to a minimum. This drain-pipe 4 is provided with a valve 5, by which the pipe may be opened or closed, as required, and said pipe terminates in a discharge-nozzle by which the solution may be delivered to a suitable pipe or conduit for conveying the solution to the precipitatingtanks.

A filtering material 6 is provided within the tank, at the bottom thereof, to retain sand, slime, and other impurities contained in the ore or evolved by the chemical action of the solution thereon, and over the mouth of the drain-pipe 4 is arranged the screen or sieve 7, which is fastened in place in the bottom of the tank in a suitable way and which serves to prevent the passage of matter whichwould tend to clog the drain-pipe and its valve. The filtering medium 6 in the bottom of the tank may consist of any suitable material; but I prefer to employ a series of wooden slats or bars 9, a layer of fibrous material, such as matting 10, and another layer of fibrous material 11, such as canvas. The Wooden bars or slats 9 are laid loosely on the bottom, preferably in the direction of the length of the tank, and these bars are spaced apart to permit of the passage of the cyanid solution between them. The fibrous materials 10 11 are laid upon the wooden slats or bars 9 to cover the side Walls of the tank and are united at their ends to said side walls in a suitable way. The particular arrangement of the stays is not important, and the location thereof may be varied as desired by the skilled mechanic. The tank is closed at one end by a wall,which may be either integral with the same or be united solidly thereto; but the other end of the tank is left open for the purpose of discharging the ore when the tank is tilted to an inclined position. This open discharge end of the tank is designed to be closed by a closure 13, which is united to said open end of the tank, in order to secure a watertight joint between the parts. To this end I prefer to construct the open end of the tank and the movable closure therefor substantially as represented by Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 6, although I would have it understood that I do not desire to strictly confine myself to the particular construction of the tank and closure shown by these figures.

As represented by the drawings, the side walls and bottom of the tank at the open disc charge end thereof are provided with* a continuous boundary-flange 14, which extends from the top edge of one side of the tank across the bottom thereof to the top edge of the other side wall of the tank, and said marginal or boundary flange is arranged substantially at right angles to the walls and bottom of the tank, as indicated more clearly by Figs. 2 and 6.

The closure 13 is constructed, preferably, of a single sheet of metal, although it may be in sections, if desired. Said closure is'pro` vided at the side and bottom edges thereof with an offstanding right-angled ange 15, said ange extending continuously around the side and bottom edges in a manner similar to the ange 14 of the tank. The described construction of the closure 13, with its continuous iange 14, enables the closure to be applied to the open discharge end of the tank in a manner to have the closure fit within said open discharge end of the tank and to have the right-angled offstanding flange 15 thereof lap against the marginal flange 14 of said tank. Between the lapped portions of the tank and its closure 13 is interposed a gasket or packing 16, constructed of rubber or fibrous material, as may be deemed desirable. This gasket or packing 16 is of the peculiar form shown by Fig. 6, and it consists of a central web and two anges which project in opposite directions from the web. This gasket or packing is also continuous between the flanged edges of the tank and its closure, and said packing is adjusted to have IOC IIC

its web fit against the inner vertical faces of the tank, so as to lie between the iiange of the closure and said tank, while one flange of the gasket or packing fits between the flanges 14 15 of the tank and closure, and the other flange of said packing rests against the inner vertical face of the closure. It will thus be seen that the packing or gasket has three surfaces in contact with the tank and its closure, and said gasket is thus designed to afford an extremely tight joint and reduce to a minimum all tendency of the cyanid solution to leak through the joint between the tank and its closure. As one means for fas-` tenin g the closure and the packing to the flanged discharge end of the tank I provide a series of plates 17, which are fastened to the Walls and bottom of the tank at suitable intervalsthereon. Theseplates areprovided with short stems or bolts 18, adapted to pass through apertures 19 and 20 in the packing or gasket 16 and the flange 15 of the closure, and on these short threaded stems or bolts 18 are adapted to be screwed the clamping-v nuts 21. The apertures 1 9 20 of the gasket and flanged closure are coincident with each other and provide for the passage ofthe threaded bolts or stems therethrough, and the nuts21 arescrewed on the protruding ends of said bolts or stems to ,bear against the fiange 15 of the closure in a manner to tightly press the ,gasket or packing between the flanged tank and the flanged closure.

I prefer to pivotally attach the closure 13 to the tank, for the purpose of permitting the closure to be sprung outward from the open end of the tank and facilitate thedischarge of the ore therefrom, while at the same time the closure remains attached to the tank, so that it is not liable to get lost` or misplaced, To this end I provide the upper edge of the closure with an eye or loop 22 and a pivotal rod 23, which passes through said eye or loop 22 and is supported in apertured lugs 24 of the side Walls of the tank adjacent to the open discharge end thereof.

The truck 2 may be of any suitable construction, and While I have shown a single truck I do not desire to restrict myself to the employment of such a single truck, because I am aware that the tank may be mounted on two or more trucks, as may be deemed expedient. As shown, the truck 2 is equipped with a series of carrying-wheels 2, mounted on suitable .axles journaled in or attached to the truck-frame, and these carrying-wheels vare adapted to travel on suitable tracks, or

they may rest directly on the ground.

The pivotal shaft or axle 3 is journaled in suitable bearings on the truck-frame and attached in a suitable way to the bottom of the tank. Said pivotal shaft is situated at a point between the closed end of the tank andthe center thereof, so that the shaft or pivotal support for the tank occupies an eccentric relation to the tank for the purpose of inclinin g the tank at an angle proper to facilitate `project into the path of the tank.

the discharge of the spent ore therefrom. It is evident that the tank may be pivotally mounted on a wheeled truck in any suitable way.

To sustain the tiltable tank in its raised horizontal position and to provide for the eX- peditious adjustment of the tank when itis desired'to tilt the same, I employ suitable fastening devices 25, upon which the free rear part of the tank adjacent to the open discharge end thereof may rest, as shown more clearly in Eig. 5. These holding devices consist of strong steel springs attached to the side sills of the truck-frame andarranged to Two of these springs 25 are employed, one on each side of the truck-frame adjacent to the tank, and I prefer to securely fasten thelower arm of said spring to the truck-frame. The springs haveinclined lengths arranged to project into the path of the tank or suitable projections thereon, and the upper horizontal arms of said springs extend over the sills of the truckframe, so as to be within convenient reach of the operator when `it is desired to retract said springs from the path of the pivoted tank and permit the latter to descend between the side sills of the truck-frame and thus assume itsV ICO 3.) Each lever is fulcrumed to one of the side 4 sills of the truck-frame, on the outside thereof, and thus arranged within easy and convenient reach, and each lever is operatively connected in a suitable way with the free end of the supporting-spring. I prefer to provide a keeper 28, with which the handled end of the operating-lever 27 may be engaged to hold said lever in position when the spring engages with thetank or the projection 26 thereon.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings I have illustrated a plant with which my improved tiltable tank is adapted for use in a manner to expeditiously charge the tank and in like manner empty the tank, so as to discharge the spent IIO ore therefrom. `In this figure the numeral 30 l designates a track on which the wheeled truck of the portable dumping-tank is arranged to travel, and with this tracky 30 is associated a turn-table 3l, by which `the portable wheeled tank may be shunted or shifted onto side tracks when it is desired to have the tank remain unmolested for a period of time necessary for the cyanid solution to properly extract the precious metal from ore charged in the tank. tained within a suitable hopper or storagebin, (indicated in part by the numeral 32,) and from this `bin leads an inclined chutel33, terminating in an overhead positionadjacent to the track 30.

The ore is designed to be con- The Wheeled tank may be ing the ore to be treated, after which said tank may be moved to the turn-table 31, and thus shifted onto aside track, as indicated by the dotted lines at Ain Fig. 1. The plant also embraces as one part or element thereof a discharge-chute 34, which is situated below the lever of the truck 30. Adjacent to this discharge-chute is erected a crane or derrick, (indicated in a general way by 35,) and this crane or derrick is designed to be connected operatively with the tiltable tank by means of the bail 37, having a suitable link or eye 38 to receive a hook on the haulage-cable of the crane or derrick. The bail 37 is arranged to embrace or straddle the sides of the tiltable tank, and the lower free ends of said bail are attached pivotally, as indicated by dotted lines at 39, to the tank at or near the lower portion thereof. This bail may remain attached permanently to the tiltable tank, as shown by Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings; but, if desired, the bail may be detachably connected to the tank and associated permanently with the derrick, so that one bail may be used in connection with a series of tiltable tanks. The crane or derrick 35 may be of any suitable construction preferred by the skilled mechanic when installing the plant.

The operation may be described, briefly, as follows: The plant having been properly installed, I may use a series of the tiltable portable tanks. One tank is moved on the track adjacent to the ore-chute 33, and it is charged with ore, which travels along the chute and `into the tank. The tank is now moved onto the turn-table and shifted on the side track, and the cyanid solution may be supplied to the tank at any time, either before or after the tank has been shifted tothe side track. The charged tank is to remain unmolested for the length of time necessary for the cyanid solution to extract the precious metal from the ore, after which the valve 5 in the drain-pipe 4 is opened and the solution, bearing the precious metal, is drawn off from the tank. 'If desired, this drain-pipe 4 may be adjusted to discharge into a conveying-pipe or conduit, (indicated in part by 40 in Fig. 1,) and this pipe or conduit 40 conveys the solution to a precipitating-tank. (Not shown.) During the operation of drawing oh the solution from the tank the sand and other impurities contained in the solution are retained or held back by the filtering medium 6 in the bottom of the tank, thus allowing the solution to be drawn off in a clear condition free from impurities. The portable tank is now moved to a position adjacent to the dischargechute 34 and the crane or derrick is connected with the bail 37 of the tank. The tank is slightly raised by operating the crane or derrick, so as to free the tank from the holding devices 35, which are now operated to retract them from the path of the tank or the projections 26 thereon. The crane is now reversed to lower the pivotal tank to its inclined dumping position above the chute 34, and the closure 13 having been opened by removing the clamping-nuts 21 the spent ore contained in the tank is allowed to travel by gravity through the open discharge end of the tank and upon the chute 34, by which it is conveyed to the dump. The tank is now raised to its horizontal position on the Wheeled truck by operating the derrick in the proper manner and the closure 13 is adjusted to properly lit within the rear end of the tank and clamp the packing or gasket between itself and said tank, after which the tank may be moved to a position beneath the chute 33 to be recharged with ore therefrom.

While I prefer to employ a portable tank which may be moved from one place to another for the purpose of readily charging the same and of discharging the spent ore to the discharge-chute, I would have it understood that I do not strictly confine myself to a tiltable wheeled tank, because I am aware that a stationary tiltable tank may be used in connection with the feed-chute 33 and a discharge-chute arranged to deliver the spent ore.

While I have shown and described my improved tank as provided with a screen over the drain-pipe and the filtering material over the screened drain-pipe opening, I do not desire to confine myself to the employment of the screen or sieve over the drain-pipe, as it is evident that said screen or sieve may be omitted. The filtering material which I employ, consisting of the matting and canvas, retains practically all of the slime and tailings in the tank when the solution is drawn o, and in this connection I desire to remark that such filtering material retains ninetynine and seven-eighths (99%) per cent. of the impurities.

I am aware that changes in theform and proportion of parts and in the details of construction may be made by a skilled mechanic without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of the invention. I therefore reserve the right to make such modifications as fairly fall within the scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is- 1. An ore-treating plant comprising an orecharging chute, an ore-discharging chute, and a tiltable tank situated between said chutes to receive from one chute and discharge to the other chute, said tank having its body pivoted upon a suitable support and provided with a hinged end gate, a drain-cock in the bottom thereof, and a filter confined within the body above the drain-cock, substantially as described.

2. An ore-treating plant comprising an orecharging chute,an ore-discharging chute situated at a suitable distance from said charging-chute, a portabletank having its tiltable body pivoted on a wheeled truck and provided with a hinged gate and with a filter which is conned in place above a drain-cock, and a hoisting mechanism situated adjacent to the discharging-chute and arranged to lift the tank-body after the same shall have been dumped to empty the refuse into the discharging-chute, substantially as described.

3. In a metallurgical apparatus fpr treating ore by a cyanid solution, a dumping-tank provided with an ostanding flange around its delivery end, a double-hanged closure adapted to fit within said tank and to present one flange thereof adjacent to the iiange on the tank, a hinge-rod supported on the tank and connected to said closure, a' doubleflanged packing fitted to the iianged tank and the flanged closure, and means for clamping the closure and tank together to compress the packing, substantially as described.

4t. vIn a metallurgical apparatus for treating ore by a cyanid solution, a tiltable tank comprising a suitable support, a tank-body having a discharge-gate at its rear end and pivoted to the support at apoint between its center and the front end, a drain device in the bottom of the tank for drawing off the cyanid solution, holding-springs mounted on the support and engaging with the tank-body at points between its discharge end and the pivotal connection thereof with the support, and means for retracting the holding-springs from engagement with the tank-body, substantially as described.

5. In a metallurgical apparatus for the treatment of ore by a cyanid solution7 the combination with a suitable support, of a dumping-tank provided at its rear with a delivery-opening and a closure therefor and pivoted to the support at points between its center and front end, a hoisting-bail attached to the tank in rear of its pivotal connection to the support, and a suitable hoisting appliance adapted for connection with said bail to raise the tank after its contents have been dumped, substantially as described.

G. In a metallurgical apparatus for treatment with the sustaining devices therefor,

substantially as described.

7. An ore-treatin g tank comprising a truck, a body pivoted at one side of its center to said truck and provided inv its bottom with a drain-cock, va'hinged gate at one end of said body a filter confined within said body over the drain-cock therein, a lifting-bail'pivoted to the body at a point between its pivotal attachment to the truck and the end gate, and holding devices mounted on the truck for engagement with the body to sustain the latter in its normal position, substantially as described.

8. An ore-treating tank comprising a body open at its rear end and provided with the offstanding iiange, 14, an end gate having the right-angular flan ge, 15, arranged to it within said body to have Vone portion of its flange bear against the body and the other portion of said flange abut against the lange, 14, the Z-packing interposed between the body, the gate and the abutting flanges, and the bolts passing through said abutting iianges and the packing, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own Ihave hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN PHILIP SCHUCH, JR.' 

